The Rundown on Diabetes
Diabetes, Type I and Type II what do they mean to you?
Did you know that there are two types of diabetes recognized by the American Diabetes Association? Several years ago they referred to these types of diabetes as either “juvenile” diabetes or “adult onset” diabetes. They were so named because juvenile diabetes was thought to affect children and teens and adult onset affected adults. Today we know more about diabetes and know that it’s not that cut and dry. As a result the terms referring to diabetes have changed and we’ve adopted the terms Type I and Type II diabetes mellitus.
Type I diabetes has replaced the term “juvenile” diabetes as we’ve found out adults can develop this pathology as well. Medical science is unsure of the exact cause of Type I diabetes, but the result is that your body stops producing insulin. Insulin is the hormone that allows our body’s cells to absorb glucose(sugar) and turn it into energy. Without proper amounts of insulin the glucose(sugar) builds up in the bloodstream and can cause severe health problems. This type of diabetes requires treatment involving insulin shots and monitoring your blood sugar levels regularly to ensure a proper balance.
Type II diabetes has replaced the term “adult onset” diabetes. In the past it was thought that if you get diabetes as an adult it was because of a different mechanism than the “juvenile” kind, but kids and adults can both be affected by the two different types of diabetes. Type II diabetes is different from Type I in that your body still produces insulin, but is unable to utilize it properly. People with Type II diabetes are often referred to as insulin resistant. They’re unsure of why people develop insulin resistance, but underlying factors may include high intake of refined carbohydrates or sweets, little to no exercise, being overweight or obese, high blood pressure, smoking, stress, depression, and several others. Even though the exact cause is different between the two types of diabetes, the effects of both are the same and can cause serious medical conditions.
To keep it short and sweet (pun intended), Type I diabetics require an outside insulin source and must receive insulin shots regularly to manage their blood glucose levels. Type II diabetes, though, is often referred to as “life-style-related” because it is acquired based on our health choices. Type II diabetes is the type of diabetes that responds well to changes in exercise level and foods that we eat. Different types of food contain different nutrients, and the nutrient we want to track in a diabetic diet is the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a chart from 0-100 that rates foods based on their effects of raising or lowering blood sugar. High glycemic foods cause quick increases in blood sugar, and low glycemic foods release sugar slowly and keep our blood sugar levels more regulated.
Now that we know that the food we eat can affect our blood sugar levels, but what about our activity? It’s been well researched that exercise is good for our health, but it actually does more than just help us lose weight. For a diabetic, exercise can help maintain blood sugar levels and improve the health of the cardiovascular system and improve cholesterol levels among many other things. An exercise program is recommended by many health organizations including American Diabetes Association and American College of Sports Medicine.
How much should I exercise? The general rule of thumb is that an adult individual should get about 30-60 minutes of physical activity each day. For a diabetic this number may be different, but you should consult a medical professional before beginning any exercise regimen to be sure you’re healthy enough for physical activity.
So, diet and exercise are important, but what about my weight? Recent studies have reported that weight loss plays a major role in managing Type II diabetes. While there are various numbers floating around about how much weight we should lose, a common number being reported is about 7% of our body weight. For most people this number is less than 20 lbs. Many scientific studies have shown that losing this weight can help put Type II diabetes into remission, but we must keep the weight off. Weight loss can seem like a daunting task, but food portion control and the types of food we eat are a good first step to managing our weight and blood sugar levels.
To sum everything up, managing your blood sugar levels is a combination of what you eat, your activity level, as well as your weight. These lifestyle changes have been identified as some of the leading factors to managing Type II diabetes.
Good luck! We believe in you.